The present invention relates to a data recording method. More specifically, this invention relates to a data recording method for recording absolute addresses with data on a tape storage medium.
Conventionally, a helical scanning type magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus, that is, a video tape recorder (VTR) has been well known. Data such as audio and/or video signals are recorded on or reproduced from a tape storage medium (e.g., magnetic tape) by the apparatus in the form of analog or digital signals. In recording, tracks are formed on the tape storage medium by use of a single or plural rotary heads such that the tracks are inclined with respect to the tape longitudinal direction.
In the conventional apparatus, absolute tape addresses are recorded on the inclined tracks or tracks extending in the tape longitudinal direction for tape localization in automatic data search or automatic electronic edition. As the absolute addresses, there are time codes for determining tape addresses in 24-hour frame system, that is, in unit of time, minute and second for each TV frame, or track numbers indicative of the sequence of the inclined tracks.
There is also known a signal recording apparatus such as a digital audio tape recorder (DAT) for recording digital (main) data (e.g., audio and/or video signals) and other sub-data to be reproduced by use of rotary heads. The sub-data includes track numbers recorded as absolute addresses with the digital data by sequentially synthesizing them per data block.
In the conventional apparatus, the track numbers are increased during recording whenever the tracks are recorded at a first track pitch. Thus, in recording new data by sequentially forming inclined tracks at a second track pitch different from the first pitch midway of the magnetic tape, for instance, it is impossible to utilize the preceding track numbers recorded at the first track pitch.
Further, in recording absolute addresses midway of the recording process, although the tape position can be assumed to some extent on the basis of the known method of calculating the remaining tape rates, it is impossible to eliminate the calculation error.